1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scrubber for washing the exposed side face and the under surface of lap siding. By “under surface” is meant the bottom edge surface of an over-lapping board or siding extrusion panel.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Lap siding, also known as clapboard, bevel siding or weather-board (with regional variants as to the exact definitions of these terms), is a board or extrusion panel typically used for exterior horizontal siding that sometimes has one edge thicker than the other where the board above laps over the one below (or, in the case of vinyl siding extrusions, appears to lap over the board below). The siding is a weather barrier to the exterior walls of a frame home, building or structure. In newer construction lap siding is made of vinyl, aluminum or fiber cement. In the case of extruded siding, the siding panels may have a profile of one or more “boards.”
Trees and bushes produce airborne sugars that may drift through the wind and stick to the lap siding. This nearly invisible layer of sugar is a food source for mildew, mold and algae, colonies of which are particularly likely to grow on the shady side of a building. Dust and dirt can also stick to the siding, creating a dull or dirty appearance and serving as a food source for some mildews, molds and algae.
Lap siding is designed to shed water falling from the sky, not water that is shot up into the overlap seam so that power washing may not be a recommended way to clean lap siding. In addition, power washing, without mechanical agitation, may not be totally effective.
Until the present invention, the best way to clean lap siding such as vinyl siding was with a soft brush on a pole, such as sold for cleaning the sides of RVs or windows. The brush is dipped in a cleaning solution and an area of the siding is scrubbed, working from top to bottom or bottom to top, and then rinsed with clear water. One problem with RV type brushes, however, is that the bristles bend around the siding are ineffective at reaching and cleaning the under surface of the lap siding. If this dirt is not removed the siding remains dirty and mildew, mold or algae tends to grow back quickly.